Such a simple but deliciously easy dish to prepare using a well stocked store cupboard’s ingredients is my lamb keema recipe. When I worked for an accountancy practice, one of the clients I used to go out and visit would often feed me some of this for lunch that his wife had made. Bear in mind that they had two young girls who ate this – it would have me almost in tears with the heat – I’m such a wimp! Be assured that mine is nowhere near as hot as that, but it can be if you want it to!

2 medium onions

15ml Rapeseed oil

½tsp Cumin seeds

2 Bay leaves

1-2 chillies (according on taste)

200g tinned tomatoes

2tsp Garlic & Ginger paste (or 1tsp of each)

1tsp Turmeric

½-1tsp Chilli powder (according to taste)

1tsp Garam masala

500g Lamb mince

Salt

50g frozen Peas

Cup water

Fresh Mint

Fresh Coriander

4tbs natural yoghurt

2tsp Mint sauce concentrate

Finely chop the onions.

Heat the oil in a large pan.

Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves and fry off for 30 seconds.

Add the onion and cook until starting to brown. This should take 3-4 mins.

My other recipe using Jersey Royal potatoes is more of a traditional one. For this one, they’re gently boiled and then roasted to perfection, served with Chantenay carrots and deliciously lean New Zealand lamb leg steaks, slowly cooked in a rich Barolo red wine and mint sauce.

1 lemon, zest & juice

1 lamb leg steak per person

10ml Rapeseed oil

2 Red onions, chopped finely

10ml Plain flour

15ml Mint sauce concentrate

250ml Barolo red wine

100ml Vegetable stock

Bay leaf

Salt & pepper to taste

Rapeseed oil sufficient to roast the potatoes

Jersey Royal potatoes

Chantenay carrots

Broccoli

Zest the lemon and squeeze the lemon juice over the lamb steaks. Toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours to start to tenderise the meat.

Heat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan.

In a large ovenproof pan (with a lid), heat the oil and fry the onions gently until transparent.

Turn up the heat and fry the lamb leg steaks until browned on both sides. Remove the lamb to a plate to keep warm.

Evenly sprinkle the flour over the onions and oil and mix thoroughly to a paste (no floury lumps).

Being based in Northamptonshire, Friars Farm, one of the local producers of jams, chutneys and sauces approached me and asked if I’d like to sample some of their products. Of course being a foodie, and wanting to support local producers, I said yes and I’m thoroughly glad I did too! They have a fab range of products; the first of which, their Middle Eastern Marmalade, I’m reviewing here. I also used this in a batch of flapjacks that I made, but for that recipe you’ll have to wait a short while…!

1 Red onion

4 Lamb leg steaks

4 tsp Friars Farm Middle Eastern Marmalade

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Sweet potato, peeled

2 Large potatoes, washed but not peeled

1 Knorr chicken stock pot, dissolved in:

280ml Boiling water

145ml Orange juice

2 tsp Mint sauce concentrate

1 Knorr rich beef gravy pot

100ml Double Cream

1. Heat the oven to 150℃.

2. Lay the lamb leg steaks in a single layer on the bottom of a rectangular dish.

3. Spread 1 teaspoon of the Friars Farm Middle Eastern Marmalade over each of the lamb steaks.

9. Cover the dish with foil. I run my finger gently around the inside of the dish after covering it which creates a low point, thereby enabling the evaporated juices to drip back down into the dish and retaining the moisture.

10. Place in the centre of the oven and cook for 3 hours.

11. When cooked, remove from the oven and gently drain the juices into a saucepan.
12. Re-cover and keep warm whilst you make the gravy.

13. Add the beef gravy pot to the saucepan and quickly bring to the boil, whisking to distribute the gravy pot.
14. Add the double cream and gently heat through.
15. Serve a lamb steak with the potato topping on a bed of peas with the gravy poured on top.

I was given a range of products from Friars Farm to try. I was under no obligation to develop or publish a recipe using their products.